Automatic livestock barn evacuation device



Dec. l0, 1963 M. M. BREEN AUTOMATIC LIvEsTocx BARN EvAcuATIoN DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 10, 1961 INVENTOR Dec. 1-0, 1963 M. M. BREEN I AUTOMATIC LIVESTOCK BARN EVACUATICN DEVICE Filed 'May 10, 1961 FIG. 3.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 10, 1963 3,113,557 AUTMATEC LIVESTOCK BARN EVACUATEN DEVCE Maurice M. Breen, 17 Maple St., Malone, N.Y.

The present invention relates to a. device to automatically evacuate a building holding livestock.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device to automatically empty a Ibarn of livestock when a re in the barn is detected, it being known that most livestock, if not all livestock, will not readily leave a burning environment but will panic and attempt to return to the iburning structure rather than tbe led 'to relatively unfamiliar but safe surroundings.

Another object is to provide a device which will automatically lead livestock to safety cfrom an endangered environment without human assistance, and ait such a rate of speed as to preclude any damage or fatality tothe livestock.

A `further ob-ject is to provide a livestock evacuation system which is foolproof in operation, one simple 1n structure and without expensive appurtenances needed for its operation, and one highly effective in action.

With these objects in mind, the invention is described as followers, and in the light of the teachings of the attached drawings, in which:

FiG. 1 is a side elevational View,

FIG. 2 is a :tcp plan View of the assembly of FIG l,

FIG. 3 is a view, enlarged, of a portion of lthe assembly shown in FlG. 1, showing in dotted lines the disconnect movement of the stanchion release means,

FlG. 4 is :an isometric view of the cable arrangement shown somewhat schematically with parts broken away, and

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of la part of FG. 4 showing one of the stanchions drawn to the evacuation cable as in actual use.

With reference to the drawings in detail, the numeral lli designate-s a barn or other holding place for livestock. At -a location remote from the barn lil is a power station ll. Overhead in fthe Ibarn l@ and extending to station 11 is an endless `cable l2 traveling over pulleys 13 and 14. A shaft 1S `carriers the pulley 14 and mounted on the shaft '15 is a drum 16 having a friction drag lever 17 in engagement therewith.

The lower flight 9 of the cable l1?; has lixed lto it a plurality of rings 18 arranged in spaced relation therealong. A pull or evacuation cable i9 has an end portion wound on a winch Zi mounted on the station 11 yand driven by an electric motor 21.

The cable 19 has the free end fixed to a rod 22 by means of an eye formation 23 on one end Of `the rod 22. The rod 22 has fixed to it, at a distance rearwardly of the formation 23, a hook bar '24. At spaced intervals on the rod 22, rearwardly of the bar 24, are secured the ends 25a of a plurality of lead cables 25.

In the Ibarn 19, along one or =both sides, are stanchions 26 each having its lower end provided with an eye formation 27 receiving a release member 28, as shown in FIG. l. The upper end fof each stanchion 26 is similarly provided with an eye formation 29 receiving another release member 30. The members 28 and 'Sil are secured to a frame 31 which is movable between the full line positien and the `dotted line position in FIG. 3.

A bar '32 extends horizontally across the barn 10 and is secured to the frame 31 (FIG. 2) and a lever device 33 has its lower end pivotally connected at 34a to a wall 34 of the barn .1d and its upper end engageable in the hook bar Z4. The lever device 33 engages the bar 32 responsive to movement, toward the right in FIG. 3, of the cable 119 and associated rod 22. This results in movement of the frame 3l to disengage both the upper and lower release members 30 and 2S, respectively, from the adjacent stanchicn eye formation 29, 27.

A thermal responsive switch 35, in an appropriate place in the barn ld, is electrically in circuit with the motor 21 and a source of current.

Weights 36 are removably secured to the drag lever 17, for adjusting the drag on the cable 12.

The operation of the evacuation device is as ffollows. With an animal in each sit-anchion Z6, upon overheating or" the thermal responsive switch'35, due to fire, the motor 2l is energized and the cable 19 is wound up on the winch 20. At first the rod 22 is pulled through the rungs 18, taking up the slack in the cables 25. On engagement of the hook bar 24 with the lever device 33, the hook bai- 24 moves the lever device 33 to engagement with the bar 32 with subsequent movement of the frame 31 a-nd release of -all of the stanchionfs 26 from their restraining release members 23 and 39.

The drag lever l restrains free movement of the cable lower flight 9 until fthe stan'chions 26 have been pulled to the rungs i8, as in FIG. 5.

The animals are now in alignment with an opening into the barn lo #and are pulled clear of the barn 10 by the winch 2li. A `stop 40011 the sta-tion y11 is engageable by the lirst stanchion 26 to rie-energize fthe motor 21.

It is to ybe understood that other conventional animal holding means may be substituted for the stanchions 26, and that `any animal or animals, appropriately held by such means, may Ibe evacuated by lthe device of the present invention. Further, numerous changes and modications may lbe made in the device, if coming within the scope of the invention as defined by the annexed claims.

What is claimed is:

1. ln combination with an animal holding barn, a stanchi-on in said barn, releasable support means securing said stanchion in said iba-rn, and endless cable extending between said barn vand a remote station, a winch secured to said station, a pull cable having a portion adjacent one end Wound on said Winch, -a pull rod `secured to the free end or" said pull cable and .supported on one of the flights `of said endless cable, tand a lead cable connecting each stanchion to said pull rod.

2. The `apparatus according to claim 1 together With heat responsive means in said Ibarn operatively connected to said winch for driving the latter upon increase of heat in said barn.

3. A livestock evacuation device of the character described, comprising a plurality of elongated stanchions in which is placed the head of livestock, each elongated stanchion having each end secured to a release member by means of an eye form-ation, each said release member in lturn being secured to one of 4the horizontal members of a. frame that is composed of the said horizontal membars and Ia vertical member, the said horizontal members and said vertical member -being formed from one continuous piece of material and a plurality of cables and an electric motor having a winch on one end of the shaft of the said electric motor, the said winch operating one of the said cables and thereby horizontally moving the said stanchions by means of a separate lead cable having one end connected to the upper eye formation of each one of the said stanchions and livestock having their head secured in the said stanchion which move the said livestock out of any barn in which the major part of the said livestock evacuation device may be located when any heat from a tire may set cli a thermal responsive switch located in the said barn, the said thermal responsive switch being connected to the source of power operating J the said electric motor which is located 'at a predetermined distance away from the said barn.

4. A livestock evacuation device yof the character described, comprising a plurality lof elongated stanchions in which is placed the head of livestock, each elongated stanchion having each end secured to a release member by means of an eye formation, each said release member in turn being secured to one of the horizontal members of a yframe that lis composed `of the said horizontal members and a vertical member, the said horizontal members and said vertical member `being formed from one continuous piece lof material and a plurality of cables and a drag lever having weights .on one end thereof, .the said drag lever providing a means of adjusting the drag on the said cables and an electric motor having a winch on one end of the shaft of the said electric motor, the said winch operating `one of the said cables and thereby horizontally moving the said stanchions `by means of a separate lead cable having one end connected to the upper eye formation of each one of the said s-tanchions and livestock having :their head secured in the said stanchions which move the said livestock out of any barn in which the major part of the said livestock evacuation `device may be 1ocated when any heat from a re may set olf a thermal responsive switch located in the said barn, the said thermal responsive switch being connected to the source of power operating the said electric motor which is located at a predetermined distance away from the barn.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 327,239 Coats Sept. 29, 1885 519,201 Partridge May 1, 1894 1,106,713 Jensen Aug. 1l, 1914 1,270,173 Kramer et al. June 18, 1918 1,449,954 Radoush Mar. 27, 1923 1,570,88 Greathouse Ian. 26, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,460 Sweden Sept. 26, 1903 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH AN ANIMAL HOLDING BARN, A STANCHION IN SAID BARN, RELEASABLE SUPPORT MEANS SECURING SAID STANCHION IN SAID BARN, AND ENDLESS CABLE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID BARN AND A REMOTE STATION, A WINCH SECURED TO SAID STATION, A PULL CABLE HAVING A PORTION ADJACENT ONE END WOUND ON SAID WINCH, A PULL ROD SECURED TO THE FREE END OF SAID PULL CABLE AND SUPPORTED ON ONE OF THE FLIGHTS OF SAID ENDLESS CABLE, AND A LEAD CABLE CONNECTING EACH STANCHION TO SAID PULL ROD. 